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Where to start
I trained in traditional Iwama style for nine years, visited seminars of Morihiro and Hitohiro Saito, Tomita and others, but have never had to leave England to do so.

Aikido to me was a way of controlling my nervous energy, relaxation and a confidence booster. This martial art made and helped me think about technique, form, and a way of using one's body to defend themselves against attack and also personnel
fitness in cohesion.
Suddenly, roughly five years ago now, I damaged my hip, mainly due to falling badly, which i recovered from unyet i was to suffer
more problems associated with my spine. Finally
after having a scan, a slipped disc in my lower spine
was diagnosed and the doctor told me not to participate in any sport, especially martial arts.

I really miss the benefits of Aikido and wish i could
participate again, but am too afraid after the scan
which showed my disc in my spinal fluid column.

I am now thirty five and still train with my wooden sticks in the garden but am lacking in practice.

If anyone has a similar story or wants to relate advice please feel free to reply.

I have 3 disk bulges in my lumbar region that can pinch off the spin. Also a tight hip leading to sciatica problems. Physical therapy exercises and training smarter put me back on the mat. I'll be 55 next month, been training 11 years.

I can contemplate training smarter in my life. I cannot comtemplate life without training at all.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!

Traditional western medical doctors mostly seem to take a very negative reaction to anything. Find yourself a good sports physiotherapist. Their outlook on medical problems is to get you back doing the things you love, not to prevent you from doing them. We have several students in our school with back problems of various amounts - one of them is currently recovering from a spine fusing operation. With the right teacher, good medical advice from those that want to work with you rather than against you, you can get back on the mat. Don't expect to be doing huge breakfalls immediately (or maybe never again), but a good teacher will adapt the martial arts to your capabilities so that you can still work out and be effective.

If it showed your disc in your spinal fluid it could be pretty serious. Sometimes the disc fragments or sequesters and floats free in the fluid. It can cause cauda equina syndrome -loss of bowel or bladder function or saddle anesthesia-surgical emergency.

I think what you take away from these reccomendations is that maybe you should get a second opinion, search out alternative therapies, and educate yourself more on your injury, your health and what you can do on a pro-active preventative nature. Do all of that BEFORE you just hop back onto a mat.